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Famine in South Sudan: Concern appeals for safe aid access in worst-hit areas

Concern Worldwide is calling for world leaders to act immediately to seek peace and prevent the further escalation of famine in war-torn South Sudan.

The international aid agency, which has over 280 staff currently in the East African nation, is responding to the crisis after famine was declared in parts of Unity State in the north of the country.

Up to 100,000 people are in the midst of famine there and it is feared that this figure could grow to over one million.

Concern Worldwide Regional Director for the Horn of Africa, Feargal O’Connell, who, until recently, was the aid agency’s Country Director in South Sudan, said:

Aid needs to get through now. Access is desperately needed in order to save lives.

A lack of action could result in thousands of innocent women, children and men dying because of hunger and this must not be allowed to happen.

World leaders must intervene to help achieve a full cessation of hostilities, which is necessary to get aid through.

Ultimately, humanitarian assistance can only do so much. Meaningful peace and security is the only solution to stop this needless suffering.

Concern supported 730,000 people last year as part of an emergency response in South Sudan – providing shelter, nutrition, water, sanitation and food distributions.

ENDS

For more information or to arrange an interview please call Kevin Jenkinson at 086 358 2886 or email [email protected]

Notes to editor

Conflict has been a constant problem for South Sudan since it became the world’s newest country in 2011.

Families are exhausted from the conflict and farming communities are among the worst affected, which has significantly reduced food production.

Concern has a large presence in the country where 4.9 million – or 40 per cent of its population – were already in urgent need of food before famine was declared.

About Concern

Concern Worldwide is an international non-governmental humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.